 Toschi was born to the Italian-American family of Sam and Millie Toschi in San Francisco, and was an alumnus of Galileo High School.Immediately upon graduation, he joined the US Army, and became a member of the 24th Infantry Division during the Korean War, honorably discharged in 1952.Returning to San Francisco, Toschi joined the San Francisco Police Department, where he served from 1952 to 1987.